Area police departments are looking for a suspect in a hit-and-run crash and three stolen vehicle cases that are believed to be related.
Salem Police say the series of incidents began when a City of Salem Public Works pickup truck was involved in a hit and run crash at Blair and South College. The city truck, which turned out to be stolen from the public works yards, fled the area.
The driver of the stolen city vehicle reportedly went around an eastbound vehicle driven by 66-year-old Robert Ratts of South Avenue in Iuka that was at the stop sign on Blair Street. After nearly hitting another vehicle head-on, the stolen pickup sideswiped the front of Ratts’ vehicle. Ratts was treated on the scene and said he would go to the hospital on his own.
The stolen city truck was later found off of Steel Lane in rural Woodlawn. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputies say another vehicle was stolen from nearby.
Washington County officials found that vehicle and another taken in the same area. The vehicle was pinged and showed it was in the Jackson Avenue area of Junction City. A Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy found the vehicle with no one around. They remained with the car until it was towed from the scene by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.
Salem Public Works Director Annette Brushwitz says the truck had just been returned to the far east end of the city’s maintenance building and the keys had been left inside. She reports the suspect had to walk into the shed and past several employees to get to the truck. Brushwitz says with so many temporary employees in the summer, not everyone knows everyone else. She reports one side of the truck was damaged when hitting the other vehicle.
While no one has been arrested, police say they have a suspect that is currently being sought.
